Chapter 115 Shangyuan

The meal was lively and quiet. Ming Huachang talked with the Duke of Zhenguo while eating, from the birth of a baby in the family of the second aunt to what gifts to send for the Lantern Festival, to the wind that started last night, which made Ming Huachang unable to sleep well in the second half of the night. She kept talking in a rambling and aimless way, with almost no time to spare. The Duke of Zhenguo also responded casually, saying whatever came to his mind, and the topic was dragged into a thousand and eight thousand directions. Ming Huazhang sat at the table, eating silently, without saying a word.

If this conversation were recorded, it would certainly be illogical and meaningless, but isn't life just a pile of meaningless trivialities? From what gifts to send to relatives to what to wear, what to eat, and what to do, repeating day after day is life.

Although Ming Huazhang rarely participated in these parental gossips, he actually liked to listen to them. Such topics were like rice cooked with firewood, with the fresh smell of smoke, which would make people relax from the bottom of their hearts. Ming Huazhang was greedy, but at the same time he realized very clearly that he did not belong here.

Ming Huazhang put down his chopsticks and picked up a handkerchief to wipe his hands. Duke Zhenguo saw this and asked, "Erlang, have you finished eating? Is this all you eat?"

Ming Huazhang smiled and said, "I have been eating all the time. Actually, I have eaten quite a lot."

Duke Zhenguo was still worried and repeatedly told him to eat more. When he turned around and saw Ming Huashang eating happily, he couldn't help but said disapprovingly, "You should eat less. You are a girl who is about to get married, but you still have breakfast and supper every day. Which lady is as carefree as you?"

Ming Huashang was unhappy: "You scolded me for being lazy, scolded me for not learning music, chess, calligraphy and painting, and now you scold me for eating too? You are so partial."

The Duke of Zhenguo was so angry that he wanted to scold this rebellious girl, but Ming Huazhang said in time: "Father, Shangshang is right. She is still growing and should eat more and sleep more. Don't be too harsh on her."

Duke Zhenguo glanced at Ming Huashang unhappily and said, "Look at how sensible your brother is. Look at you, you only know how to contradict me. Why don't you thank your brother quickly?"

Ming Huashang snorted and said in reply, "If it weren't for you, our brother-sister relationship would be fine. Stop stirring up trouble here."

The Duke of Zhenguo was once again so angry that he blew his beard and glared. Ming Huazhang hurriedly said, "Shangshang, stop talking. Father is doing this for your own good."

Ming Huashang rolled her eyes, quickly finished the rice in her bowl, put it down heavily and walked away. The Duke of Zhenguo saw this and said angrily: "Look at her, she dares to show me a bad face! What other girl is as unbridled as her?"

Ming Huazhang thought to himself, who spoiled her? Didn't the Duke of Zhenguo know this? Ming Huachang lost her mother when she was born. The Duke of Zhenguo was afraid that she would be bullied in the inner house. He was reluctant to say a harsh word to her from childhood to adulthood. He gave her whatever she wanted. If she couldn't learn piano, chess, calligraphy and painting, she didn't learn them. If she was too tired to do needlework, she would let the embroiderer do it for her. Ming Huachang didn't need to get first place or be smart and sensible. Her father would always love her, spoil her and treasure her unconditionally.

It is precisely because she has received enough love since she was young that Ming Huashang dares to talk back to her elders, dares to go out whenever she wants, and dares to take the initiative to talk to strangers like a social maniac. Because she knows that love is unconditional, as long as she takes a step forward, she will definitely get rewards.

It was not easy to say such things in front of the Duke of Zhenguo, so Ming Huazhang just said, "Shangshang is very good the way she is. She can eat and sleep well, and she is lively and happy. She is much more lively than those ladies from wealthy families who never show their teeth when they smile or walk. She is the jewel of the Duke's mansion. The honor of the family should be fought for by men, and should never be tied to a woman. The only thing she needs to do is to grow up happily."

This is not wrong. Anyway, the Duke of Zhenguo looks down on families who rely on marrying their daughters to support their brothers. But isn't Erlang shirking the responsibility for Ming Huashang too much?

Duke Zhenguo sighed in his heart. Erlang was a child with a strong sense of responsibility. He was the same age as Ming Huachang, but he always felt that he was the elder brother and should protect his sister from wind and rain. The lazier Ming Huachang was, the more he pushed himself, and the result was two extremes. Wasn't Ming Huachang's over-inflated self-confidence and complacent laziness encouraged by Ming Huazhang?

But Erlang also had good intentions. The Duke of Zhenguo didn't want to hit the child, so he said, "You're right. She can do whatever she wants in the Duke of Zhenguo's mansion, but what will she do when she goes to her husband's house? Don't look at her smiling all day and seem to be very heartless. In fact, she knows everything, but she doesn't say anything and keeps everything in her heart. If she finds a confidant husband in the future, it will be fine. I'm afraid she will find one who is not considerate. She will make herself sick."

Ming Huazhang raised his eyes, looked at the profile of the Duke of Zhenguo, and said quietly: "Father can find a man who knows her well, puts her first in everything, and can tolerate her and accompany her."

Duke Zhenguo sneered and said, "I do want to, but where can I find such a tailor-made husband? Now, I just hope to find a family with a clean family tradition. I don't ask for glory and wealth, but I hope the family relationship is simple. After she marries, she won't have to deal with complicated relatives and don't have to worry about the situation in the court all day long. It doesn't matter even if the husband himself is not ambitious."

The words that Ming Huazhang was about to say got stuck in his throat, and he instantly lost the courage to speak them out. As a father, is it wrong to hope that his son-in-law is safe and stable, has a simple family, and does not drag his wife into danger and turmoil?

Of course not. This was a perfectly legitimate request. If Ming Huazhang had a daughter, he would choose a son-in-law in the same way. Whether the Duke of Zhenguo said these words in front of him intentionally or unintentionally, it was enough to show that the Duke of Zhenguo had never considered him.

If he wanted to make it clear, then of course he could. But was this how he would repay the Duke of Zhen for supporting him?

Ming Huazhang was silent for a long time, and finally said, "Father is right."

The Lantern Festival arrived in the wind and snow. Early in the morning, the sky over Chang'an was filled with restlessness. As soon as Ming Huashang got up, the maids stood in a row with joy and said in unison: "I wish you a healthy Lantern Festival, a long life and a long life."

Ming Huashang accepted the auspicious words with a smile, and asked the kitchen to cook glutinous rice balls. Everyone who served in her courtyard, whether serving inside the house or sweeping the floor outside, was given a bowl of glutinous rice balls, just to eat in accordance with the occasion. Sweet mouths were a rare thing in this year, and everyone was very happy. The maids gathered in the room, tasting each other's glutinous rice balls, and giving Ming Huashang advice on how to dress up.

In this noisy atmosphere, night fell unnoticed. The sky was like an overturned dye vat, from brilliant to gloomy, the indigo color gradually deepened, and finally turned into a deep black. The lights in Chang'an City were lit early, and Zhuque Street was even more colorful and brilliant, with torches illuminating the ground and the sound heard for dozens of miles.

The imperial court uniformly installed palace lanterns every five steps, following the red silk all the way to Chengtian Gate. Merchants hung lanterns with dancing fish and dragons, fairy music, and colorful orange, red, yellow, and green, which made people dazzled. The pedestrians on the road were all with their families, and the children were holding colorful lanterns in their hands, crowded together. From a distance, it was like a galaxy across the darkness, dividing Chang'an in two.

The little lights gathered into a river, and finally flowed to the northeast of Chang'an, in front of the Daming Palace. In front of the Suzaku Gate, a tall lantern stand was erected, and the gorgeous lanterns competed for beauty. A family who had specially come to Chang'an from the surrounding counties shuttled among the lanterns. The mother shouted in front and behind for fear that someone would be left behind. The father held his most beloved little daughter and taught the children to recognize words one by one: "This is the lantern of Princess Taiping, this is the lantern of the Prince of Wei's Palace, this is the lantern of the Honglu Temple, this is the lantern of Jingzhao Prefecture..."

"Father, what is Jingzhao Prefecture?"

"Jingzhao Prefecture is the place that governs Chang'an."

"Chang'an is the capital of the country, so is there anyone who cares about it?"

At this moment, the Jingzhao Prefecture Shao Yin, who had just made great achievements and was in the limelight among the court and the people, was not happy at all. He stood with his hands behind his back under the brilliant lantern frame, and the carp lantern on his head, which symbolized surplus every year, was smiling with its belly sticking out. However, he was cold, his face was whiter than snow, and his eyes were like ice and broken jade. He was not infected by the happiness around him at all.

Today, the Duke of Cheng and the Duke of Zheng had an appointment to watch the lanterns together. Ming Huashang had just gotten off the car when she was greeted by the enthusiastic Cheng family. Ming Huazhang got off the horse and was dragged away in the blink of an eye.

He stood at the back, coldly looking at the newcomer. Cheng Xun's clothes today were obviously carefully matched. His robe, belt, jade pendant, and even shoes all showed signs of effort. Ming Huazhang scanned them one by one, thinking that Cheng Xun's robe was too bulky, his belt was too fancy, his jade pendant was not well matched, and his shoes were even covered in dust. Anyway, nothing caught Ming Huazhang's eye.

However, Ming Huashang stood in the crowd and smiled at Cheng Xun with a bright smile, her eyebrows and eyes were like flowers. Ming Huazhang once again evaluated Cheng Xun and still felt that he was extremely ugly. He didn't know what Ming Huashang was laughing at.

At this moment, Ming Huashang was drowned in the fragrance of powder and makeup, and she didn't know what she was laughing at, who was talking to her, and who she was talking to. After she got off the car, she was pulled into Huancuidui before she could find the right direction. Today, all the people from Chengguo Mansion were here. Chengguo Mansion was different from Zhenguo Mansion. Three generations lived under one roof, and the population was very prosperous. There were many men and women with the surname Cheng, not to mention the wives of each room brought their relatives from their natal families, and the married aunts brought their husbands' aunts and uncles. It was a huge family.

Women always look good after dressing up. Ming Huashang's face is unrecognizable amidst all the jewels and precious stones, yet they still call each other sister and younger sister affectionately, racking their brains to compliment each other's clothes and jewelry, and they cannot repeat themselves.

One only regrets not having learned enough knowledge when the time comes. Ming Huachang extremely hated himself for not learning a few more beautiful words.

After everyone had seen him, Ming Huashang breathed a sigh of relief. Only then did she realize that Ming Huazhang was gone. She turned around and found him standing under the fire trees and silver flowers. The carp lanterns cast a sparkling light on him, but he was still standing straight, with a dignified look and no dust on him.

Ming Huashang bumped into Ming Huazhang's line of sight and was startled for a moment. He thought to himself, why is he like a cat that can't find its home, cold and fierce? He was the one who was cold to others, but he looked like he had suffered a great injustice. Ming Huashang grinned at him and waved vigorously: "Second brother, why are you standing so far away? Come here!"

Seeing that he didn't move, Ming Huashang simply ran over and grabbed his hand, pulling him over without thinking: "My second brother is so handsome. There are so many people here tonight, don't let the kidnappers kidnap you. Let's go and see the lights."

Ming Huazhang still looked serious, but a smile gradually spread in his eyes. Cheng Xun saw Ming Huazhang and also showed his courtesy very enthusiastically: "Yes, Ming Shaoyin, we can't do without you today."

Everyone in the Duke of Chengguo's mansion knew that today was the day to meet Cheng Xun's future wife. Cheng Xun was the eldest grandson of the Cheng family, and his wife was extraordinary. The three married daughters of the Duke of Chengguo all came after hearing the news, hoping to take advantage of the Lantern Festival to take a good look at their future niece-in-law. They turned around and saw a young man and a girl walking under the lanterns. The girl was as charming as April flowers, and the boy was as cold as the snow in the mountains. The two of them stood together, like a peony and a sharp sword, a spring flower and an autumn moon, which reminded people of a perfect match and complemented each other.

Aunt Cheng asked in surprise: "What is this..."

Lady Chengguo had to explain again: "This is Mingjia Erlang, Ming Erniang's biological brother. They are a dragon and phoenix twin."

The birth of a dragon and a phoenix is ​​a rare auspicious sign. For a moment, no one paid any attention to Cheng Xun. They all rushed to bring Ming Huazhang and Ming Huashang over and asked them about their birth dates in detail.

Ming Huazhang had answered similar questions countless times since he was a child, and he was already very familiar with it. But this time, when he heard the ladies put their names together and praised them unreservedly for their auspiciousness, he felt a strange sense of lightness.

It was as if everyone in the world was praising them for being a perfect match, as if they were meant to be a couple.

Seeing more and more people on the street, Lady Chengguo interrupted the conversation and said, "Well, Ming Erlang and Erniang are here and they won't run away, but the lantern festival will only last three days. Let's go see the lanterns first and ask about the rest later."

Everyone laughed, and the women dragged forward, soon forming a long line, and the formation fell apart before even a cup of tea could last. Intentionally or not, everyone left Cheng Xun and Ming Huashang behind, and soon, there was no one around Ming Huashang.

Even Mingyu and Mingshuo were nowhere to be seen. They were both in the prime time for marriage and were happy to expand their social circles. Perhaps their future husbands would be the brothers or cousins ​​of some young lady. Ming Huashang saw Mingshuo holding hands with a young lady she had just met to watch the lanterns. She didn't even look in her direction and left without any regrets.

Ming Huashang turned around to look at Cheng Xun on his left, then at Ming Huazhang on his right, and inexplicably felt that the atmosphere was very strange.

Ming Huashang couldn't figure out the source of the weirdness, but she didn't want to watch the lights alone with Cheng Xun. She grabbed Ming Huazhang's sleeves tightly and refused to let go. She smiled and said, "Eldest sister and third sister are walking so fast. They seem to be going that way. Let's go after them!"

Ming Huazhang lowered his eyes and glanced at Ming Huachang's hand. As if afraid that Cheng Xun would not notice, he slowly raised his hand, covered the back of her hand, and said, "Don't worry, I'm here."

Cheng Xun didn't care at first, but after Ming Huazhang said this, he couldn't help but care. Cheng Xun raised his eyes and saw Ming Huazhang's eyebrows relaxed, his eyes were bright and shining, and there was a sense of complacency and pride in his eyes when he looked at him.

Cheng Xun hadn't noticed it before, but now he discovered that the clothes Ming Huazhang and Ming Huashang were wearing today were extremely similar. The fabrics looked like they were cut from the same piece of silk. They both had the same sapphire inner lining, white outer shirt, and even the ties around their waists were the same style.

The two of them stood together with their arms linked, while Cheng Xun stood alone on the opposite side. Needless to say, even passers-by could tell that the two were a family.

Cheng Xun frowned secretly. It was not an illusion. He did feel a hostility from Ming Huazhang. What was he doing? Was he asserting his ownership?

It's ridiculous, he is just Ming Huashang's brother, what does he think of himself?

Cheng Xun smiled and said, "Mrs. Ming, there are many people here today, be careful of collisions. Move over here and don't crowd my brother."

When he mentioned the word "brother", he seemed to emphasize it deliberately, which had a special meaning. Ming Huazhang narrowed his eyes and looked at Cheng Xun silently, just in time to meet his gaze.

Cheng Xun was still smiling, still looking humble and polite, his eyes seemed to say that they were a family from now on, and he should follow Ming Huachang's generation and call Ming Huazhang "brother". Ming Huazhang's face did not change, and his lips were pursed silently.

This was the first time he hated the identity of "brother".